Systems and methods for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of defining a trimline in relation to modeled teeth including modeled gingiva. The trimline is for use to manufacture an aligner. A margin point is placed proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on at least one jaw in the model. A trimline connects the plurality of margin points from which machine code is generated. The aligner manufactured includes an edge that correlates with the trimline according to the machine code. A margin point may be proximate a gingival zenith. At least one tooth cooperates with the modeled gingiva to define a line around the tooth. The trimline includes at least one tooth curve and at least one connector curve connected to the tooth curve at a transition point. At least one control point is on the trimline between two margin points. The trimline is defined by a spline that may be a Bèzier curve.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of orthodontictreatment and, more particularly, to systems and methods ofmanufacturing orthodontic appliances.

BACKGROUND

Orthodontics is the practice of manipulating teeth to correctmalocclusions between the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches.Typically, treatment of malocclusions includes the use of an orthodonticappliance that applies corrective forces to the teeth. Over time, thesecorrective forces coerce the teeth to move into their orthodonticallycorrect positions.

One way of applying corrective forces is with orthodontic brackets.Treatment using brackets includes attaching a bracket to each of theteeth being treated. These brackets are then coupled to an archwire. Thearchwire may be coupled to the brackets using ligatures. Ligatures aresmall elastomeric o-rings that retain the archwire within a slot of thebracket. The archwire is resilient and exerts corrective forces on theteeth via the brackets. During treatment with brackets, the patient mustperiodically visit the orthodontist to replace the archwire with a newarchwire which is typically larger in cross-sectional dimension.

As an alternative to braces, which remain adhered to the patient's teethduring the entire treatment, orthodontists may utilize orthodonticappliances referred to as “dental aligners,” or simply “aligners.”Aligners are generally supplied as a series of removable appliances thatincrementally reposition the patient's teeth from their initialorientation to their orthodontically correct orientation. Patients beingtreated with aligners can insert and remove the aligners at will, andtherefore do not need to visit the orthodontist for adjustments. Rather,when the currently worn aligner has moved the teeth to at or near afinal orientation for that aligner, the patient merely begins using thenext aligner in the series according to a treatment plan.

To fabricate aligners, the orthodontist first obtains a computer modelof the patient's dentition. This model may be generated, for example, bytaking an impression of the dentition and scanning the impression into acomputer. Alternatively, the clinician may directly scan the patient'steeth with an intraoral scanner. The scanned data is then used toconstruct the computer model. Once the computer model has been obtained,the orthodontist may determine a target orientation of the teeth thatprovides a corrected dentition. Multiple computer models may then begenerated, with each model corresponding to an incremental orientationof the dentition from an initial orientation to a target orientation.The incremental orientations from initial to target orientations maymove the patient's teeth according to a proposed treatment plan.Treatment plans typically include numerous stages of movement from aninitial orientation to a target orientation of the teeth. Depending onthe degree of tooth movement, treatment plans may include a number ofaligners that are worn in a predetermined sequence from an initialorientation to a final orientation.

Fabrication of the aligners typically involves forming plastic sheetsonto a mold constructed of target orientations of the dentitionaccording to the computer models. After each aligner is formed, excessmaterial must be trimmed from it. However, due to the complex shapes andrelatively small sizes of human dentition, this trimming task isdifficult. Methods of trimming away a waste portion of the sheet fromthe aligner include manual trimming with scissors, which is timeconsuming and requires significant skill. Trimming using a ComputerNumeric Control (CNC) milling machine has also been attempted. However,using a CNC milling machine involves a complicated setup procedure thatis both expensive and that must be implemented for each aligner beingtrimmed. A trimline implemented may change for each aligner or forgroups of aligners for each patient. Moreover, when CNC milling is used,a certain percentage of the aligners cannot be completely separated byCNC milling alone due to spatial limitations in the milling process.And, there are other problems, as machined aligners often requiresubsequent processing to improve the edge quality, for example, toremove burrs and round sharp edges produced during CNC milling.

Not only are there problems with CNC milling, clinicians may haveparticular preferences for their patients and so may manually modifyaligners in accordance with those preferences. While these modificationsare made with good intentions, the resultant aligner often has less thanoptimum performance. Ultimately, manual field modifications oftenprolong treatment and so are made at the expense of the patient.

These difficulties are exacerbated by recent advancements in alignertechnology. Devices, such as attachments and buttons over which analigner fits, often reduce the spatial accessibility of milling tools toaccurately CNC mill the aligner edge in the region of the attachment orbutton. The difficulties in trimming caused by attachments and devicesrestrict placement of these devices. With these machining limitations inmind, the design of the aligner may be compromised to maintainmanufacturability. Further, clinicians sometimes modify aligners tofacilitate the use of the aligner with a secondary appliance inconjunction with the aligner.

While generally successful, there remain problems in the manufacturingof aligners. Thus, improved methods, systems, and computer programproducts are needed in the fabrication of aligners.

SUMMARY

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings and drawbacks ofmethods and systems for modeling and manufacturing of alignersheretofore known for use in orthodontic treatment. While the inventionwill be described in connection with certain embodiments, it will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. Onthe contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications andequivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is acomputer-implemented method of defining a trimline in relation to a 3-Ddigital model of teeth including modeled gingiva. The trimline is foruse in the manufacturing of an aligner. The method includes placing amargin point proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on at least onejaw in the 3-D digital model. The method further includes generating atrimline connecting the plurality of margin points and generatingmachine code from the trimline.

In one embodiment, the method further includes manufacturing the alignerand wherein an edge of the aligner is configured to correlate with thetrimline according to the machine code.

In one embodiment, during placing, at least one margin point isproximate a gingival zenith on at least one tooth.

In one embodiment, at least one tooth in the 3-D digital modelcooperates with the modeled gingiva to define a line around the at leastone tooth, and the trimline includes at least one tooth curve and atleast one connector curve connected to the at least one tooth curve at atransition point, the tooth curve being defined in at least one ofcurvature and location by the line around the at least one tooth andpassing through at least one margin point.

In one embodiment, the method further includes adding at least onecontrol point on the trimline between two margin points.

In one embodiment, the trimline is defined by a spline between at leastone margin point of the two margin points and the at least one controlpoint.

In one embodiment, the method further includes adding a vector on thetrimline between the at least one control point and the at least onemargin point, wherein the vector is configured to alter the curvature ofthe spline.

In one embodiment, the spline is a Bèzier curve.

In one embodiment, the method further includes moving the at least onecontrol point occlusally relative to the two margin points and whereinthe trimline follows the control point.

In one embodiment, the control point is proximate an interproximalregion between adjacent teeth.

In one embodiment, following moving the at least one control point, themethod further includes validating the trimline between the two marginpoints, including through the at least one control point, against atleast one predetermined parameter.

In one embodiment, the at least one predetermined parameter includes oneor more of a minimum clinical radius, a minimum tool radius, and aminimum labial-lingual distance.

In one embodiment, after validating, the method includes determiningthat the trimline is invalid.

In one embodiment, after determining, the method includes moving atleast one of the at least one control point and one of the two marginpoints and repeating validating.

In one embodiment, the method further includes moving all of the marginpoints occlusally or gingivally by a margin parameter.

According to one aspect, in one embodiment, there is a system fordefining a trimline in relation to a 3-D digital model of teethincluding modeled gingiva. The trimline is for use in the manufacturingof an aligner. The system includes a processor and a memory includingprogram code. The processor is configured by the program code to place amargin point proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on a jaw in the3-D digital model, generate a trimline connecting the margin points, andgenerate machine code from the trimline.

In one embodiment, during placement, at least one margin point is placedproximate a gingival zenith on at least one tooth.

In one embodiment, at least one tooth in the 3-D digital modelcooperates with the modeled gingiva to define a line around the at leastone tooth and wherein the trimline includes at least one tooth curve andat least one connector curve connected to the at least one tooth curveat a transition point, the tooth curve being defined in at least one ofcurvature or location by the line around the at least one tooth andpassing through at least one margin point.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code toplace at least one control point on the trimline between two marginpoints.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code todefine the trimline as a spline between at least one margin point of thetwo margin points and the at least one control point.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code toadd a vector on the trimline between the at least one control point andone of the two margin points, wherein the vector is configured to alterthe curvature of the spline.

In one embodiment, the spline is a Bèzier curve.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code tomove the at least one control point occlusally relative to the twomargin points and wherein the trimline follows the at least one controlpoint.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code tovalidate the trimline against at least one predetermined parameter aftermoving the at least one control point.

In one embodiment, the at least one predetermined parameter includes oneor more of a minimum clinical radius, a minimum tool radius, and aminimum labial-lingual distance.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code toindicate that the trimline is invalid after validating.

In one embodiment, the processor is configured by the program code tomove the margin points occlusally or gingivally by a margin parameter.

In one embodiment, the system further includes a manufacturing system inwhich the machine code is usable to form an edge of an aligner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the detailed description given below, serve to explainvarious aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a 3-D tooth model displayed in a system according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a system according to one embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a process used in developing a trimline for analigner.

FIGS. 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 depict alternativeviews of the 3-D tooth model of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a mold and a workpiece followingforming in one embodiment of manufacturing an aligner.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a tool path to define an edge of analigner during trimming according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a trimming processaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of separation of an aligner followingtrimming.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an aligner manufactured according toembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a schematic view of a computer device usable with the systemof FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention are directed to computer-implementedmethods, systems, and computer program products for fabricating dentalaligners. In particular, embodiments of the invention are utilized todigitally produce a trimline. The digital trimline defines a tool pathby which a waste portion of a workpiece is cut away from an alignerportion of the workpiece after forming. For example, a machine tool,which may be coupled to a CNC milling machine, may be used to cut theworkpiece during a trimming process. The machine tool removes materialduring the cutting process to reproduce the digital trimline as an edgeof an aligner. The edge of the aligner affects patient comfort and caninfluence aligner performance.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention reduce or eliminate anynecessity for manual modification of the edges of one or more alignersin a series of aligners after those aligners are produced. Embodimentsof the invention provide a clinician, such as an orthodontist, a staffmember under instruction by the orthodontist, or an orthodontic devicemanufacturer, with the capability for digitally producing a trimline andmodifying all or portions of the digital trimline prior to producing analigner. Creating the trimline digitally with reference to the patient'steeth permits manual modification of the trimline to address patientspecific problems. Thus, a plurality of modifications can be made andthen assessed prior to manufacturing the aligner. In embodiments of theinvention, once an initial trimline is defined, the initial trimline canbe edited based on clinical needs. The edited, initial trimline may beautomatically morphed onto multiple aligners to account for thepredicted movement of the patient's teeth during treatment according toa treatment plan. Each trimline, whether constructed from a morphingprocess or manually created may be subject to manual editing andautomatic validation.

In exemplary embodiments, according to one aspect, there is a method ofcreating, editing, and producing a digital trimline. The clinician usesa computer system to create and edit the position of the digitaltrimline relative to a three-dimensional model of the patient's teeth.The digital trimline and the clinician's modifications are continuouslyevaluated against predetermined parameters, described below, includingany spatial limitations inherent in automated machining, such as CNCmachining, and the predicted structural integrity of an aligner producedaccording to the digital trimline. The predetermined parameters guidethe clinician in the development of a valid trimline, one that ismachinable and also provides the necessary structural integrity forproducing tooth movement, among other factors.

When the digital trimline approaches and/or violates any single one ofthe predetermined parameters, the system warns the clinician as to theproblem portion of the digital trimline. The system provides the warningin near real time as the edit is made and indicates the portion of thedigital trimline that is in violation of one or more of thepredetermined parameters. The clinician may then reconsider the editand/or readjust the digital trimline to address the warning. Theclinician's edits may occur on a continuous basis while subjectivelyassessing the effect of those modifications on the patient's comfort andthe effectiveness of treatment with an aligner produced with the digitaltrimline. In this way, the clinician has the capability to bothsimultaneously address specific problems associated with a patient'steeth, address any attachments or devices that may be used duringorthodontic treatment, and incorporate their personal preferences inreal time while satisfying predetermined parameters to produce a usabletrimline.

To these and other ends, and with reference to FIGS. 1-4A, embodimentsof the present invention may include systems and methods that usecomputers to model a patient's teeth, to prepare orthodontic treatmentplans, and to design aligners based on the treatment plans. Thesesystems provide an interface through which a clinician or otherorthodontic specialist can create, edit, and communicate treatmentplans, as well as implement design preferences and output data.Embodiments of the present invention enhance systems and improve thefunctionality and utility of such systems and methods, as set forthherein.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2, in a computer implemented method,according to one embodiment, a clinician obtains or is provided withimages of a patient's teeth, particularly the crowns of the patient'steeth, such as with an intraoral scanning device or PVS impression. Theclinician may also obtain image information of the roots and crowns ofthe patient's teeth, such as volumetric data acquired from cone beamcomputed tomography (CBCT). The images may be in or importable into a3-D virtual computer environment. With one or both forms of data, a 3-Ddigital model 70 of the patient's teeth is produced at 100. By way ofexample only, systems and methods of preparing 3-D models of a patient'steeth are known according to at least U.S. Pub. Nos. 2018/0165818 and2014/0272772, which are assigned to Ormco Corporation and areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

In an exemplary embodiment and with reference to FIG. 1A, the system 10includes a computer 12 and at least one imaging system 14. The computer12 may receive multiple imageries from imaging system 14 and/or anotherimaging system. Imagery may include surface imagery 18 of one or more ofthe patient's teeth. The computer 12 may include any suitablecomputational device, such as a personal computer, a server computer, amini computer, a mainframe computer, a blade computer, a tabletcomputer, a touchscreen computing device, a telephonic device, a cellphone, a mobile computational device, dental equipment having aprocessor, etc. In certain embodiments, the computer 12 may provide webservices or cloud computing services. More than one computer may also beused for storing data and one or more predetermined parameters 36 orperforming the operations performed by the computer 12 in accordancewith the embodiments of the invention. In the embodiment shown, whilenot being limited to any particular network, the computer 12 isoperatively coupled via one or more wired or wireless connections 16 tothe imaging system 14 over a network 20. The network 20 may comprise alocal area network, the Internet, an intranet, a storage area network,or any other suitable network.

With regard to an intra-oral imaging system, imaging system 14 mayinclude a wand 22 having an imaging sensor 24 and a light source 25. Theimaging sensor 24 may be an intra-oral camera that captures informationregarding the oral cavity of the patient when exposed to light, forexample from the light source 25. As is known, the practitioner mayinsert at least a portion of the wand 22 into the patient's mouth. Usingthe light source 25 and the imaging sensor 24, the practitioner maycapture data of all or selected crowns of the patient's teeth.Alternatively, surface imagery 18 may be produced by scanning animpression 28 of the patient's teeth.

The system 10 may also include or be in electrical communication with amanufacturing system 30 capable of manufacturing the aligners 32. Themanufacturing system 30 includes both forming machinery 34 and CNCmachinery for machining 26 a trimline on each of the aligners 32.

With reference to FIG. 1, the 3-D digital model 70 of the patient'steeth is created from one or both types of surface imagery 18 in thecomputer 12. The 3-D digital model 70 is shown on an exemplary display72 of the computer 12 and includes a plurality of crowns of thepatient's teeth 74 as well as the corresponding roots on a maxillary jaw84. And, the 3-D digital model 70 may also include a plurality of crownsof the patient's teeth 80 as well as the corresponding roots on amandibular jaw 82. The teeth 74, 80 are shown projecting from a modeledgingiva 86, 90. The modeled gingiva 86, 90 may be computer generated(e.g., as a point cloud) and positioned on the teeth 74, 80 to conformwith the image data available for producing the teeth 74, 80.Specifically, a point cloud is received from the image data of thepatient's teeth, which are used to define triangular shapes across thegingival surface. As a result, the gingiva 86, 90 may be generated atlocations consistent with the intraoral scan imagery. Athree-dimensional model 70 including gingiva may be prepared for eachstage in the orthodontic treatment plan by defining a control point foreach triangular area on the gingival surface, and transferring thiscontrol point in space—along with the associated triangle—on movementpaths that match the movement of the nearest tooth to the gingival areawhere the control point is defined.

In general, with the 3-D digital model 70 shown, the system 10 maycreate an initial digital trimline 92, 94 that may be edited prior tomanufacturing of aligners for use on the mandibular jaw 82 and/or themaxillary jaw 84, respectively, at each stage of orthodontic treatment.Once in its final, edited configuration, the digital information on thetrimline is then converted to machine code, such as to a tool path(described below with reference to FIGS. 14-18). The tool path may beused to produce an aligner (FIG. 18) with an edge to correlate with thedigital trimline created with the 3-D digital model 70.

To that end, with reference to FIG. 1, the 3-D digital model 70 mayrepresent an initial stage of treatment (i.e., stage zero), which oftenpresents the most difficulties with valid trimline development.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, following creation of the 3-D digital model70 at 100, the system 10 positions a plurality of margin points 104proximate the gingival margin 96 for each of the teeth 74, 80 on arespective jaw 82, 84. As shown, the margin points 104 may be proximatea gingival zenith of each tooth. By proximate, the location of themargin point 104 may be at a gingival-occlusal height of the gingivalmargin 96 though it may be spaced labially or lingually apart from thegingival margin 96 by a predetermined distance. The system 10 maydefault to the gingival-most locations proximate a modeled gingivalmargin 96 for creation of the margin points 104. As is described below,the clinician may selectively or globally adjust the location of eachmargin point 104, and further may define additional margin points alongthe margin of the tooth to better control and define the cut line forthat tooth.

Once the margin points 104 are established and with continued referenceto FIGS. 1 and 2, the system 10 creates the initial digital trimline 92,94 (i.e., a baseline) connecting the margin points 104 at 102. In theexemplary embodiment shown, each baseline is a straightest possible lineconnecting the margin points 104 around each of the entire arches 82 and84. When all parameters have a value of zero, this may generate thestraightest possible baseline. The system 10 may create a baseline foreach stage of treatment where the system 10 computes the gingiva. Thebaseline may include two types of curves—teeth curves 98 associated witheach tooth 74, 80 and connector curves 100 connecting the teeth curves98. By way of example, each margin point 104 shown defines a location ona tooth curve 98 (labeled in FIGS. 3 and 4). Each tooth curve 98includes transition points 128 and both lingual and labial portions ofeach tooth curve 98 are based on the line around the tooth (LAT) 132.That is, the shape and location of each of the labial and lingual toothcurves 98 for a specific tooth may be defined by the LAT 132. The LAT132 is defined where the modeled tooth 74, 80 cooperates with themodeled gingiva 86, 90. The clinician may adjust the tooth curves 98with margin points 104 or by adjustment of the margin points 104gingivally or occlusally by a margin parameter. The connector curves 100connect the adjacent tooth curves 98 in the interproximal region. Theclinician may edit the shape of each of the teeth curves 98 and theconnector curves 100 to control the shape of the trimline.

As noted above, in one embodiment, in FIG. 2 at 118, to aid in editingthe trimline in the interproximal regions, the clinician may optionallyadd one or more control points 106 between each margin point 104. Thecontrol points 106 define a location on a connector curve 100 and allowthe clinician to control the shape of the connector curve 100 betweentransition points 128 with the adjacent teeth curves 98 where necessary.The relative position of the margin points 104 and the control points106 may facilitate any desired scalloping of the trimline. In thatregard, control points 106 are optional so that either or both of thetrimlines 92, 94 may not include a single control point 106. Controlpoints 106 may be removed at locations where a curved trimline in aninterproximal region is not desired. In that case, the trimline mayresult in a relatively straight cut edge (i.e., no scallop) on analigner that may be positioned at, occlusally of, or gingivally of thegingival margin 96 depending on the margin parameter.

When inserted, each control point 106 divides the baseline into aplurality of splines 108 connecting the control points 106 to adjacentmargin points 104. The splines 108 essentially permit the clinician tocontrol the transition of the teeth curves to the connector curves andvice versa. Thus, the shape of the splines 108 may be edited to trackthe gingival margin 96 along the teeth 74, 80 and to provide a curvedtransition in the interproximal spaces between teeth 74, 80, as isdescribed below. The clinician may optionally delete control points 106if their presence causes a distortion in the trimlines 92, 94.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the splines 108 appear tocollectively define digital trimlines 92 and 94 to be somewhat linear,however embodiments of the invention are not limited to any impliedlinearity. The splines 108 are defined by a polynomial in thethree-dimensional space laying on the gingiva 90. Accordingly, they maybe made to be complex curves through an editing process described below.For example, as is shown in FIG. 3, control point 114 divides the spline108 between adjacent margin points 104 into two separately modifiablesplines 110 and 112. While embodiments of the invention are described inwhich the control points 114 may appear to be midway between marginpoints 104, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to thatlocation. The control point 114 permits collective and/or individualmodification of splines 110 and 112.

According to one embodiment at 124 in FIG. 2, the clinician may edit thedigital trimline 92, 94 from its baseline configuration by editing theteeth curves, connector curves, and the transitions points. For example,to edit the trimline 94 in FIG. 3, the clinician may move any single oneof the margin points 104 or control points 106 and/or modify the splines110 and 112. Editing the trimline 94 may include selectively moving oneor more of the control points 106 relative to the margin points 104 asis generally indicated by comparison of the location of the controlpoint 114 between FIGS. 1 and 3. For example, the clinician may selectand then move control point 114 according to arrow 116 in FIG. 3 in anocclusal direction. Although not shown, the clinician may select andmove the control point 114 in a gingival direction (i.e., opposite thatshown according to arrow 116).

In the exemplary embodiment shown, movement according to arrow 116 mayoptionally initiate display of guides 122. In this way, the system 10may provide a visual guide or ruler by which the clinician may visuallyassess the location of the control point 114 relative to the surroundinggingival margin 96 in the interproximal region. Advantageously, thesystem 10 provides guides for the clinician to use during editing toensure that the trimline 94 is valid at all points between the adjacentmargin points 104.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the guides 122 are tangent to one orboth of the splines 110, 112 at the control point 114. Further, as thecontrol point 114 is moved according to arrow 116, the system 10recalculates each of the splines 110 and 112 according to a parametriccurve, such as a Bèzier curve. This may produce a smooth, continuoustransition from the spline 110 to the spline 112 or vice versa and soproduces smooth transitions from the tooth curves to the connectorcurves. As is shown in FIG. 3, the splines 110 and 112 may trace thegingival margin 96 along portions of the teeth 74 that are defined bythe tooth curves, but deviate from the modeled gingival margin 96 in theinterproximal space between the adjacent teeth 74 along the connectorcurves. Following editing, the trimline 94 may have a scallopedappearance with a series of alternating convex and concave curvesdefined by the splines 108, 110, and 112.

With reference to FIG. 2, at 120 and 124, prior to or after addition ofthe control points 106 to the digital trimline 92, the clinician mayglobally adjust margin points 104. By way of example only, withreference now to FIG. 5, this modification may be in an occlusaldirection, that is, all of the margin points 104 that define the digitaltrimline 92 may be moved occlusally by the same amount. This may bereferred to as a margin parameter and indicated by the distance D. Thisis shown generally by arrows 150 in FIG. 5. The digital trimline 92 maybe moved occlusally by D relative to the location of the initial digitaltrimline 92 (i.e., the baseline) shown in FIG. 1, which is shown at agingival-most margin location. Although not shown, the digital trimline92 may be moved in the opposite direction shown in FIG. 5. Thus, thetrimline 92 may be moved gingivally by a distance, similar to distanceD. If so, the trimline 92 may lie on or adjacent the gingival margin 96at many, if not all, locations. Further, the trimlines 92 and 94 may beadjusted before or after addition of the control points 106.

Further, the clinician may opt to move individual ones of the marginpoints 104, as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A, in addition to or in place ofmoving all margin points by a set distance. For example, in FIGS. 4 and4A, during editing, the margin point 134 may be moved according toarrows 136 in relation to the gingival margin 96. In addition, thecurvature of the trimline 94 between any margin point 104 and controlpoint 106 may be adjusted by repositioning one or more vectors 140. Asshown, the vectors 140 may be displayed as a base point 142 anddirectional indicator 144. The base point 142 may coincide with thetransition points 128. In this way, the clinician may utilize thevectors 140 to modify the location and magnitude of a change incurvature of the individual splines 110, 112 without further moving themargin point 104 or control point 106. For example, the curvature of thespline 110 may be modified at a location of the base point 142 bychanging the magnitude of the directional indicator 144 and itsorientation by rotation about the base point 142 according to arrows 146in FIG. 4A.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, each digital trimline 92, 94transitions from its labial location along the respective teeth 74, 80to its lingual location along the teeth 74, 80 at a molar 148 and 158,respectively. These transitions are generally shown at 188. During anyone of steps 102, 118, 120, and 124 in FIG. 2, the clinician candetermine whether to edit the transition 188 by orienting the digitaltrimline 92, 94 around or over the respective molar 148, 158. Forexample, the digital trimline 92 may follow the tooth curve around thetooth. Alternatively, in FIG. 6, the clinician may add a control point190 on an occlusal surface of molar 148. Thus, the digital trimline 92transitions from a control point 192 to the control point 190 on theocclusal surface of the molar 148 to another control point 194 proximatethe gingival margin 96 on the opposing side of the molar 148 from theoriginal control point 192. This pathway for the digital trimline 92 inthe transition 188 may be the clinician's decision or may be automaticdepending on, for example, if the molar 148 is not fully erupted. Inthat regard, the system 10 may measure the location of the incisalsurface of the molar 148 relative to an adjacent molar to determinewhether to extend the pathway over or around the molar 148.Alternatively, the system 10 may automatically generate the trimlineover or around the molar depending on the location at which theclinician adds a control point, such as control point 190 which wouldcause the system 10 to extend the trimline 92 over the molar 148.

Rather than go over the molar 148 as is shown in FIG. 6, in oneembodiment, the clinician may opt to extend the trimline 94 around themolar 158 proximate the gingival margin 96. This is shown by way ofexample in FIG. 7. At the transition 188, control points 196, 198, and200 along the trimline 94 cause it to loop around the molar 158 at alocation that generally follows the gingival margin 96. In this case, analigner made according to the trimline 94 would encapsulate the molar158 during treatment.

During steps 102, 118, 120, and 124, the clinician may create and editeither one or both of the digital trimline 92 on the lower jaw 82 andthe digital trimline 94 on the upper jaw 84 of the 3-D digital model 70.

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the system 10 evaluates eachedit of the digital trimline 92, 94 against the predetermined parametersto determine if the edits produce problems with the manufacturing of thealigner 32 or with aligner performance. This is referred to asvalidation. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, after anysingle one of the steps 118, 120, and/or 124, the system 10 validatesthe edited trimline 92, 94 at 126. During validation, which may occurcontinuously in response to each edit of the digital trimline 92, 94,the system 10 evaluates the digital trimline 92, 94 at all locationsagainst a set of predetermined parameters.

By way of example only, and not limitation, the set of predeterminedparameters include one or more requirements including that the trimlineis a closed curve (i.e., it is a continuous line around the teeth), thatthe trimline extends tooth-to-tooth (with some exception for teeth thatare crowded together) on the tooth and/or gingival surfaces. By way offurther example only, and not limitation, other requirements may includethat the trimline does not produce a radius that is less that apredetermined value. As an example, a clinical radius of the trimlinemust be greater than a predetermined minimum value. And, in theinterproximal regions, the trimline must produce a radius greater than aminimum value. This curvature is typically concave so that the radius ofthat curvature must be at least as large as the tool radius so that thetool may physically produce the targeted radius. The orientation of thetool rotational axis at all locations along the trimline should be closeto the surface normal at that location. The location of the trimlinerelative to any attachments or devices must maintain structuralintegrity of the aligner, and at each interproximal tooth location, thelabial-lingual distance between the trimline on the labial surface andthe trimline on the lingual surface is defined by the clinician. Thisfacilitates a sufficient structural strength and thus avoids breakage ofthe aligner during use or day-to-day handling.

With reference to FIG. 8, an exemplary trimline 92 is shown whichsatisfies the predetermined parameters. For example, although not shown,the digital trimline 92 is continuous, extends tooth-to-tooth with analternating concave-convex curve, a radius of curvature at each toothindicated, for example at 202, produces a scallop of sufficientcurvature that is not too sharp, and a radius of curvature at eachinterproximal location, for example at 204, produces a curvature that ismachinable with a selected tool while also not greatly inhibiting thestrength of the aligner at that location.

Referring again to FIG. 2, during validation of the trimline at 126, ifthe system 10 determines that one or more of the predeterminedparameters is violated, the system 10 visually indicates that thetrimline 94 violates the parameter by, for example, changing the colorof the trimline 94. Although color is not shown in the figures, thesystem 10 may change the line color from green, indicating a validtrimline to another color. For example, if the clinician's edit causes avalidation problem, the system 10 alters the color of the trimline orthe specific portion that fails validation from green to yellow, fromgreen to orange, or from green to red. The color change may depend uponthe severity of the validation issue, with red indicating that thatportion of the trimline requires the clinician's further attention.Examples of trimlines that fail validation are shown with reference toFIGS. 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

During editing and with reference to FIG. 5, the clinician may adjustthe margin amount along the tooth-gingival boundary for each tooth 80along the mandibular jaw 82, for example. This may be a globalmodification of the trimline along all teeth in the jaw 82 or selectivemodification of individual margin points 104 of the teeth 80 in the jaw82. In FIG. 5, the portions of the digital trimline 92 that failvalidation are indicated at 152. For example, the clinician's movementof the digital trimline 92 occlusally to increase the distance of thedigital trimline 92 from a gingival zenith by distance D may produce analigner that is too narrow at the interproximal regions. In this case,an aligner produced with the digital trimline 92 may be prone tobreakage during use or have insufficient strength to produce the desiredtooth movement. The system 10 indicates that the trimline edit is atleast questionable by turning the digital trimline 92 from green toyellow in each of the locations 152. The clinician may then furtherconsider that particular edit. A similar failure is shown in FIG. 9, inwhich the system 10 changes the color of the trimline 92 at locations152 to notify the clinician of a likely problem with the aligner inthese areas.

By way of further example only, and with reference to FIG. 10, an editat 154 produces a break in the spline 156 between the margin point 160and the control point 162. Because the break at 154 produces an opencurve, the digital trimline 92 fails validation. The system 10 maychange the color of this portion of the trimline 92 to red. Also shownin FIG. 10, at locations 163 and 164, the system 10 indicates that thedigital trimline 92 fails validation. At location 163, the system 10 mayindicate that the labial-lingual dimension of the aligner at thislocation is too thin. This is best shown with reference to FIG. 11. Thesystem 10 indicates that a lingual-most to labial-most distance at eachof the interproximal regions 166 and 168 causes the digital trimline 92to fail validation at 126 in FIG. 2. Depending on the distance, thecolor of the trimline 92 at 163 may be yellow, orange, or red.

Referring again to FIG. 10, at location 164, the system 10 changes thecolor of the trimline 92 to notify the clinician that the digitaltrimline 92 is too close to an attachment 170. This relative locationmay produce difficulty in machining and/or weakness in the aligner. Theclinician, having been notified of the problem, may then modify thedigital trimline 92 to address each failure in validation in real time.

Another example of an edit that causes the trimline to fail validationis shown in FIG. 12. At 172, the digital trimline 92 fails validation.The radius of curvature produced by the vector 140 may be too great soas to cause a validation failure. This radius may be less than theminimum tool radius or less than the minimum clinical radius. In thissituation, the clinician may move the control point 106 in the directionof arrow 174 or adjust the vector 140 to increase the radius of thespline 110 in the location of 172. A similar failure exists in thedigital trimline 92 shown in FIG. 13. At location 176, the system 10changes the line color to red to indicate that the concave-convexdistortion fails validation. The clinician may address that failure bymoving control point 180 relative to the margin point 182 in thedirection of the arrow 184.

In one embodiment, the system 10 permits replication of portions of thetrimline to other locations along the trimline during editing at 124 inFIG. 2. Once the clinician has edited the trimlines 92, 94 at any singletooth so that the trimline 92, 94 is valid for that tooth, thatparticular geometry may be replicated to other teeth. For example, andwith reference to FIG. 11, once a desirable scallop is created for alabial surface of an anterior tooth, that scallop may be replicated tothe trimline along the lingual surface of that anterior tooth. In FIG.11, a desirable scallop created in the interproximal region 166 at thecontrol point 172 may be mirrored to a lingual location 163 toautomatically position the control point 178. In addition, the desirablescallop at the control point 172 may be replicated contralaterally to alabial surface of a related anterior tooth to automatically produce thecontrol point 186 and then mirrored to locate control point 200. Morespecifically, for example, the geometry and location of a labial portionof a trimline for an anterior 11 may be automatically replicated to alingual portion of the trimline for the anterior 11 and becontralaterally replicated to both the labial and lingual portions ofthe trimline at the anterior 21. Advantageously, replication of featuresfrom one location on the trimline to another location saves theclinician significant time during editing.

In one embodiment, and with reference to FIG. 2, once each digitaltrimline 92 and 94 passes validation, additional trimlines may becreated and edited for each position of the patient's teeth asdetermined by the treatment plan. This is indicated at 210 in FIG. 2.This may entail editing additional three-dimensional models of teeth foreach of those positions established by the treatment plan.Alternatively, the trimline created for the 3-D digital model 70 at T0,for example, may be morphed throughout each additional three-dimensionalmodel in the treatment plan. In this way, creating and manually orautomatically editing a single trimline may facilitate creation oftrimlines for the patient's jaw through all subsequent three-dimensionalmodels.

Morphing may take into account changes in the teeth positions at eachstage of treatment. The system 10 may automatically adjust the initial,validated trimline to the teeth movement according to the treatmentplan. To do so, the system 10 may slide the margin points and controlpoints with the teeth and/or gingiva in response to the desired toothmovement. This may be achieved, for example, in models where the teethand/or gingiva are defined as point clouds, such as from an originalintra-oral scan. Triangles are formed by connecting the points in thepoint cloud. Each margin point and control point is placed in a selectedtriangle and the points slide to each new position using thetransformations of gingiva defined by the treatment plan. The system 10may allow the clinician to manually slide margin and control points.Manual sliding may be advantageous in situations where tooth movementcauses the location of the trimline following sliding to fail validationor otherwise creates a poorly oriented trimline. The system 10 mayautomatically morph the automatic and/or manual sliding to the trimlinesfor all subsequent stages of treatment. The clinician may optionallyselect to not propagate manual sliding.

In addition to replication and morphing features, the system 10 includestools that allow the clinician to selectively group various stages oforthodontic treatment and utilize the trimline features for each alignerin that preselected group. For example, if the patient requires 30aligners for treatment, the clinician may selectively morph the digitaltrimline 92 and/or 94 for aligners at stage 0 to aligners for stagesnumber 1 through number 10. Similarly, the clinician may morph thetrimlines for aligners at stage 11 through stage 20, and the clinicianmay morph trimlines for aligners at stage 21 through aligners for stage30. With the availability of these tools, the system 10 advantageouslyreduces the time required to produce a trimline for each aligner at eachstage of treatment.

As is shown in FIG. 2, following morphing of an edited trimline thatpasses validation, those trimlines that are created from morphing mayeach be edited and validated in accordance with editing and validationdescribed above. Thus, each trimline for each aligner is subject tovalidation and further editing where necessary or desirable.

Following creation, editing, and validation, the digital trimline 92, 94is applied in the manufacturing of one or more aligners. To that end, inFIG. 2 at 212, the digital trimline 92, 94 is translated to machine codefor use with the CNC machinery 26 or robot for a trimming process thatcuts the aligner 32 (shown in FIGS. 1A and 18) from a workpiece. Withreference to FIGS. 14 and 15, an exemplary process of forming thealigner 32 may include deforming a workpiece 218 with a mold 220.Although not shown, the mold 220 may be one of a series of molds eachfabricated based on a corresponding computer model of the patient'sdentition (e.g., the 3-D digital model 70 may be utilized to produce themold 220) and each mold captures a target orientation of the patient'steeth during orthodontic treatment. For example, a series of computermodels provides incremental steps from T1 to one or more intermediatedentition models and ending with the target dentition T2 are generatedand may be used to produce corresponding molds.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 14, each mold 220 may includea base 222 that supports a plurality of projections in the form of modelteeth 224 that extend from a model gum 226 and defines a gingival margin228. For example, the teeth 224 and model gum 226 may correspond to theteeth 80 and gingiva 90 in 3-D digital model 70 (FIG. 1). Each modeltooth 224 may have an orientation that produces a corresponding cavity204 in the dental aligner 32 with the gingival margin 228 ideallyproviding a limiting boundary for the location of the edge 206 of thealigner 32.

In FIG. 2, forming and trimming each aligner is shown at 214 and may beaccomplished with the forming machinery 34 and CNC machinery 26 of themanufacturing system 30 shown in FIG. 1A. In that regard, with referenceto FIGS. 14-17, following deforming of the workpiece 218, as isgenerally shown in FIG. 14, a waste portion 229 of the deformedworkpiece 218 is separated from an aligner portion 230 of the workpiece218 by cutting a region 232 between the two. As is shown in FIGS. 15 and16, a machine tool 234, which may be coupled to a robot or anothermachine (e.g., the CNC machinery 26 of FIG. 1 or a milling machine) thatis computer controlled, may be used to cut away the region 232 toproduce the edge 206 on the aligner 32. The machine tool 234 has a toolradius 236 that defines the edge 206. During machining, the tool 234follows a tool path 244 to produce the edge 206. According toembodiments of the invention, the tool path 244 is machine code based onthe digital trimline, for example, trimline 92. In this way, the edge206 substantially corresponds to the digital trimline. With reference toFIG. 17, once the machine tool 234 completes removal of the region 232,the aligner 32 is separated from the waste portion 229 of the workpiece218 according to arrows 242.

With reference to FIG. 18, as a result of the method, the aligner 32includes a hollow shell 202 that is configured to encapsulate one ormore crowns of a patient's teeth. The shell 202 is formed with aplurality of cavities 204 that collectively define an edge 206, whichdefines an opening 208. Each cavity 204 is shaped to receive a specificone of the patient's teeth through the opening 208 during use of thealigner 32. The shell 202 is made of an elastic material in one or morelayers and may include one or more receptacles 216 that are configuredto receive an attachment 170 (e.g., shown in FIG. 13 and on model inFIG. 14) on the patient's tooth and/or one or more devices 240 in thealigner 32. The receptacle 216 and/or device 240 results in a bulge ordiscontinuity in the surface of the shell 202. Depending on theplacement, the receptacle and/or device may create an issue formachining the edge 206. For this reason, embodiments of the inventionaddress difficulties associated with attachments and/or devices inadvance of machining of the workpiece, as is described above.

Although not shown, by way of example only and not limitation,attachments may include an engager, such as a small protrusion of dentalbonding material, that is placed at specific locations on selectedteeth. The attachment may be any of a variety of shapes includingrectangular, square, circular, ellipsoidal, or triangular in shape. Thereceptacle 216 may be sized to receive at least a portion of theattachment during orthodontic treatment and provide a specificpredetermined force via the attachment on the corresponding tooth or onanother tooth engaged with the aligner 32 during treatment.

Devices 240 may include sensors, such as pressure sensors, humiditysensors, pH sensors, and any single one of the sensors identified incommonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/250,448, filed onAug. 29, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety, to name only a few. Other examples of devices 240 includelight sources. For example, the light source may include an array ofdiodes (not shown) that are configured to emit infrared light and/orlight of other wavelengths. The diodes may be, for example, lightemitting diodes (LEDs), surface mounted diodes (SMDs), or Schottkydiodes and may be connected in series or in parallel. In anotherexample, the light source may include an organic light emitting diode(OLED); a polymer-light emitting electrochemical cell (LEC); a laserdiode, or an optoelectronic device that can source, detect, and controllight; or a polymer LED. By way of further example, the device 240 mayinclude a power source.

During orthodontic treatment, the aligner 32 is selectively positionedover the patient's teeth and any attachments 170 and may fit tightlywithin the receptacle 216 at least partly due to slight differences inthe position of one or more of the cavities 204 relative to thecorresponding tooth. A forcible contact with the aligner 32 may move thepatient's teeth toward a predetermined position according to a patient'streatment plan that may ultimately end at T2. A set of aligners (notshown) may include one or more aligners 32. During orthodontictreatment, each stage of treatment may include an aligner that providesslightly different movement of the patient's teeth. The individualaligners are utilized in a predetermined sequence to completeorthodontic treatment or move the patient's teeth to T2. Accordingly,each aligner in the series may move one or more teeth a prescribedamount. While similar, each aligner is slightly different in shape.Cumulatively, these individual amounts may result in complete treatmentof the patient's malocclusion.

As is described above, according to embodiments of the invention, apractitioner implements the computer 12 (e.g., shown in FIGS. 1A and 19)with software capable of generating and manipulating the 3-D digitalmodel 70 in accordance with the system 10 described above.

Referring now to FIG. 19, embodiments of the invention described above,or portions thereof, such as the system 10 may be implemented using oneor more computer devices or systems, such as exemplary computer 12. Thecomputer 12 may include a processor 302, a memory 304, an input/output(I/O) interface 306, and a Human Machine Interface (HMI) 308. Thecomputer 300 may also be operatively coupled to one or more externalresources 310, such as an intra-oral scanner and CBCT system ormachining center, via a network 312 and/or I/O interface 306. Externalresources may include, but are not limited to, servers, databases, massstorage devices, peripheral devices, cloud-based network services, orany other resource that may be used by the computer 300.

The processor 302 may include one or more devices selected frommicroprocessors, micro-controllers, digital signal processors,microcomputers, central processing units, field programmable gatearrays, programmable logic devices, solid state machines, logiccircuits, analog circuits, digital circuits, or any other devices thatmanipulate signals (analog or digital) based on operational instructionsthat are stored in memory 304. Memory 304 may include a single memorydevice or a plurality of memory devices including, but not limited to,read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), volatile memory,non-volatile memory, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM), flash memory, cache memory, and/or data storagedevices such as a hard drive, optical drive, tape drive, volatile ornon-volatile solid state device, or any other device capable of storingdata.

The processor 302 may operate under the control of an operating system314 that resides in memory 304. The operating system 314 may managecomputer resources so that computer program code embodied as one or morecomputer software applications or algorithms, such as an application 316residing in memory 304, may have instructions executed by the processor302. In an alternative embodiment, the processor 302 may execute theapplication 316 directly, in which case the operating system 314 may beomitted. One or more data structures 318, for example the 3-D digitalmodel 70, may also reside in memory 304, and may be used by theprocessor 302, operating system 314, or application 316 and ismanipulated by the clinician.

The I/O interface 306 may provide a machine interface that operativelycouples the processor 302 to other devices and systems, such as theexternal resource 310 or the network 20. The application 316 may therebywork cooperatively with the external resource 310 or network 20 bycommunicating via the I/O interface 306 to provide the various features,functions, applications, processes, or modules comprising embodiments ofthe invention. The application 316 may also have program code that isexecuted by one or more external resources 310, or otherwise rely onfunctions or signals provided by other system or network componentsexternal to the computer 12. Indeed, given the nearly endless hardwareand software configurations possible, persons having ordinary skill inthe art will understand that embodiments of the invention may includeapplications that are located externally to the computer 12, distributedamong multiple computers or other external resources 310, or provided bycomputing resources (hardware and software) that are provided as aservice over the network 312, such as a cloud computing service.

The HMI 308 may be operatively coupled to the processor 302 of computer300 in a known manner to allow a practitioner to interact directly withthe computer 300 to, for example, operate user interface 120. The HMI308 may include video or alphanumeric displays, a touch screen, aspeaker, and any other suitable audio and visual indicators capable ofproviding data to the user. The HMI 308 may also include input devicesand controls such as an alphanumeric keyboard, a pointing device,keypads, pushbuttons, control knobs, microphones, etc., capable ofaccepting commands or input from the user and transmitting the enteredinput to the processor 302.

A database 320 may reside in memory 304 and may be used to collect andorganize data used by the various systems and modules described herein.The database 320 may include data and supporting data structures, forexample 3-D digital model 70 and/or predetermined parameters 36, thatstore and organize the data. In particular, the database 320 may bearranged with any database organization or structure including, but notlimited to, a relational database, a hierarchical database, a networkdatabase, or combinations thereof. A database management system in theform of a computer software application executing as instructions on theprocessor 302 may be used to access the information or data stored inrecords of the database 320 in response to a query, where a query may bedynamically determined and executed by the operating system 314, otherapplications 316, or one or more modules.

In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of theinvention, whether implemented as part of an operating system or aspecific application, component, program, object, module or sequence ofinstructions, or a subset thereof, may be referred to herein as“computer program code,” or simply “program code.” Program codetypically comprises computer-readable instructions that are resident atvarious times in various memory and storage devices in a computer andthat, when read and executed by one or more processors in a computer,cause that computer to perform the operations necessary to executeoperations and/or elements embodying the various aspects of theembodiments of the invention. Computer-readable program instructions forcarrying out operations of the embodiments of the invention may be, forexample, assembly language or either source code or object code writtenin any combination of one or more programming languages.

Various program code described herein may be identified based upon theapplication within which it is implemented in specific embodiments ofthe invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particularprogram nomenclature which follows is used merely for convenience, andthus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specificapplication identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. Furthermore,given the generally endless number of manners in which computer programsmay be organized into routines, procedures, methods, modules, objects,and the like, as well as the various manners in which programfunctionality may be allocated among various software layers that areresident within a typical computer (e.g., operating systems, libraries,API's, applications, applets, etc.), it should be appreciated that theembodiments of the invention are not limited to the specificorganization and allocation of program functionality described herein.

The program code embodied in any of the applications/modules describedherein is capable of being individually or collectively distributed as aprogram product in a variety of different forms. In particular, theprogram code may be distributed using a computer-readable storage mediumhaving computer-readable program instructions thereon for causing aprocessor to carry out aspects of the embodiments of the invention.

Computer-readable storage media, which is inherently non-transitory, mayinclude volatile and non-volatile, and removable and non-removabletangible media implemented in any method or technology for storage ofdata, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures (e.g., the3-D digital model 70), program modules, or other data. Computer-readablestorage media may further include RAM, ROM, erasable programmableread-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EEPROM), flash memory or other solid state memory technology,portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other opticalstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used tostore the desired data and which can be read by a computer. Acomputer-readable storage medium should not be construed as transitorysignals per se (e.g., radio waves or other propagating electromagneticwaves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a transmission mediasuch as a waveguide, or electrical signals transmitted through a wire).Computer-readable program instructions may be downloaded to a computer,another type of programmable data processing apparatus, or anotherdevice from a computer-readable storage medium or to an externalcomputer or external storage device via a network.

Computer-readable program instructions stored in a computer-readablemedium may be used to direct a computer, other types of programmabledata processing apparatuses, or other devices to function in aparticular manner, such that the instructions stored in thecomputer-readable medium produce an orthodontic appliance includinginstructions that implement the functions, acts, and/or operationsspecified in the flow-chart, sequence diagram, and/or block diagrams.The computer program instructions may be provided to one or moreprocessors of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the one or more processors,cause a series of computations to be performed to implement thefunctions, acts, and/or operations specified in the flow-charts,sequence diagrams, and/or block diagrams.

In certain alternative embodiments, the functions, acts, and/oroperations specified in the flow-chart, sequence diagram, and/or blockdiagram of FIG. 2 may be re-ordered, processed serially, and/orprocessed concurrently consistent with embodiments of the invention.Moreover, any of the flow-chart, sequence diagram, and/or block diagramof FIG. 2 may include more or fewer blocks than those illustratedconsistent with embodiments of the invention.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description ofvarious embodiments and while these embodiments have been described insome detail, it is not the intention of the inventors to restrict or inany way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Thus,additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those ofordinary skill in the art. The various features of the invention may beused alone or in any combination depending on the needs and preferencesof the user.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method of defining atrimline for use in the manufacturing of an aligner, the methodcomprising: receiving a 3-D digital model of a patient's teethprojecting from a modeled gingiva; placing a margin point proximate agingival margin at each tooth on at least one jaw in the 3-D digitalmodel; generating a trimline connecting the plurality of margin points;adding at least one control point on the trimline between two marginpoints; moving the at least one control point occlusally relative to thetwo margin points and wherein the trimline follows the control point;following moving the at least one control point, validating the trimlinebetween the two margin points, including through the at least onecontrol point, against at least one predetermined parameter; andgenerating machine code from the trimline for a corresponding aligner;storing the machine code in a non-transitory medium for generating thetrimline on the corresponding aligner, wherein after validating,determining that the trimline is invalid and after determining that thetrimline is invalid, visually indicating an invalid portion of thetrimline relative to a visual indication of any valid portion of thetrimline, and wherein the at least one predetermined parameter includesone or more of a minimum clinical radius, a minimum tool radius, and aminimum labial-lingual distance.
 2. The method of claim 1 furtherincluding manufacturing the aligner and wherein an edge of the aligneris configured to correlate with the trimline according to the machinecode.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein during placing, at least onemargin point is proximate a gingival zenith on at least one tooth. 4.The method of claim 1 wherein at least one tooth in the 3-D digitalmodel cooperates with the modeled gingiva to define a line around the atleast one tooth and wherein the trimline includes at least one toothcurve and at least one connector curve connected to the at least onetooth curve at a transition point, the tooth curve being defined in atleast one of curvature and location by the line around the at least onetooth and passing through at least one margin point.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the trimline is defined by a spline between at least onemargin point of the two margin points and the at least one controlpoint.
 6. The method of claim 5 further including adding a vector on thetrimline between the at least one control point and the at least onemargin point, wherein the vector is configured to alter the curvature ofthe spline.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the spline is a Bèziercurve.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the control point is proximatean interproximal region between adjacent teeth.
 9. The method of claim 1wherein after determining, moving at least one of the at least onecontrol point and one of the two margin points and repeating validating.10. The method of claim 1 further including moving all of the marginpoints occlusally or gingivally by a margin parameter.
 11. A system fordefining a trimline for use in the manufacturing of an aligner, thesystem comprising: a processor; and non-transitory memory includingprogram code; the processor configured by the program code to: receive a3-D digital model of a patient's teeth projecting from a modeledgingiva; place a margin point proximate a gingival margin at each toothon a jaw in the 3-D digital model; generate a trimline connecting themargin points; validate the trimline against at least one predeterminedparameter after moving the at least one control point; indicate that thetrimline is invalid after validating; change a color of an invalidportion of the trimline relative to a color of any valid portion of thetrimline; generate machine code from the trimline for a correspondingaligner; and store the machine code in the memory for generating thetrimline on the corresponding aligner.
 12. The system of claim 11wherein during placement, at least one margin point is placed proximatea gingival zenith on at least one tooth.
 13. The system of claim 11wherein at least one tooth in the 3-D digital model cooperates with themodeled gingiva to define a line around the at least one tooth andwherein the trimline includes at least one tooth curve and at least oneconnector curve connected to the at least one tooth curve at atransition point, the tooth curve being defined in at least one ofcurvature or location by the line around the at least one tooth andpassing through at least one margin point.
 14. The system of claim 11wherein the processor is configured by the program code to: place atleast one control point on the trimline between two margin points. 15.The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured by theprogram code to: define the trimline as a spline between at least onemargin point of the two margin points and the at least one controlpoint.
 16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is configured bythe program code to: add a vector on the trimline between the at leastone control point and one of the two margin points, wherein the vectoris configured to alter the curvature of the spline.
 17. The system ofclaim 15 wherein the spline is a Bèzier curve.
 18. The system of claim14 wherein the processor is configured by the program code to: move theat least one control point occlusally relative to the two margin pointsand wherein the trimline follows the at least one control point.
 19. Thesystem of claim 11 wherein the at least one predetermined parameterincludes one or more of a minimum clinical radius, a minimum toolradius, and a minimum labial-lingual distance.
 20. The system of claim11 wherein the processor is configured by the program code to: move themargin points occlusally or gingivally by a margin parameter.
 21. Thesystem of claim 11 further including a manufacturing system in which themachine code is usable to form an edge of an aligner.
 22. Acomputer-implemented method of defining a trimline for use in themanufacturing of an aligner, the method comprising: receiving a 3-Ddigital model of a patient's teeth at one stage of treatment, thepatient's teeth projecting from a modeled gingiva; placing a marginpoint proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on at least one jaw inthe 3-D digital model; generating a trimline connecting the plurality ofmargin points, the trimline being for an aligner for use at the onestage of treatment; following generating the trimline at the one stageof treatment, generating a second trimline for the patient's teeth atanother stage of treatment in which at least one of the patient's teethin the 3-D digital model is in a different position than at the onestage of treatment, wherein generating the second trimline includesmorphing the trimline at the one stage of treatment in accordance with achange in position of the at least one of the patient's teeth andcorresponding margin point; generating machine code from the secondtrimline; and storing the machine code in a non-transitory medium forpreparing the second trimline of an aligner for the another stage oftreatment.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one margin pointis associated with one triangle in the 3-D model of teeth and morphingincludes maintaining the association between the at least one marginpoint and the triangle from the 3-D model of the teeth to one or moresubsequent 3-D digital models of teeth established by the treatmentplan.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein a treatment plan includes aplurality of 3-D digital models of teeth, and wherein before generatingmachine code, the method further includes grouping two or more of the3-D digital models of teeth so that the trimlines for the two or more ofthe 3-D digital models are morphed in the same way.
 25. The method ofclaim 22 wherein generating machine code includes generating machinecode from the trimline.
 26. A computer-implemented method of defining atrimline in relation to a 3-D digital model of teeth including modeledgingiva, the trimline being for use in the manufacturing of an aligner,the method comprising: placing a margin point proximate a gingivalmargin at each tooth on at least one jaw in the 3-D digital model;generating a trimline connecting the plurality of margin points; addingat least one control point on the trimline between two margin points;moving the at least one control point occlusally relative to the twomargin points and wherein the trimline follows the control point;following moving the at least one control point, validating the trimlinebetween the two margin points, including through the at least onecontrol point, against at least one predetermined parameter; generatingmachine code from the trimline, and manufacturing the aligner andwherein an edge of the aligner is configured to correlate with thetrimline according to the machine code, wherein after validating,determining that the trimline is invalid and after determining that thetrimline is invalid, visually indicating an invalid portion of thetrimline relative to a visual indication of any valid portion of thetrimline, wherein at least one tooth in the 3-D digital model cooperateswith the modeled gingiva to define a line around the at least one tooth,and wherein the trimline includes at least one tooth curve and at leastone connector curve connected to the at least one tooth curve at atransition point, the tooth curve being defined in at least one ofcurvature and location by the line around the at least one tooth andpassing through at least one margin point.
 27. A computer-implementedmethod of defining a trimline in relation to a 3-D digital model ofteeth including modeled gingiva, the trimline being for use in themanufacturing of an aligner, the method comprising: placing a marginpoint proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on at least one jaw inthe 3-D digital model; generating a trimline connecting the plurality ofmargin points; adding at least one control point on the trimline betweentwo margin points; moving the at least one control point occlusallyrelative to the two margin points and wherein the trimline follows thecontrol point; following moving the at least one control point,validating the trimline between the two margin points, including throughthe at least one control point, against at least one predeterminedparameter; generating machine code from the trimline, and manufacturingthe aligner and wherein an edge of the aligner is configured tocorrelate with the trimline according to the machine code, wherein aftervalidating, determining that the trimline is invalid and afterdetermining that the trimline is invalid, visually indicating an invalidportion of the trimline relative to a visual indication of any validportion of the trimline, wherein the at least one predeterminedparameter includes one or more of a minimum clinical radius, a minimumtool radius, and a minimum labial-lingual distance.
 28. A system fordefining a trimline in relation to a 3-D digital model of teethincluding modeled gingiva, the trimline being for use in themanufacturing of an aligner, the system comprising: a processor; and amemory including program code; the processor configured by the programcode to: place a margin point proximate a gingival margin at each toothon a jaw in the 3-D digital model; generate a trimline connecting themargin points; validate the trimline against at least one predeterminedparameter after moving the at least one control point; indicate that thetrimline is invalid after validating; change a color of an invalidportion of the trimline relative to a color of any valid portion of thetrimline; and generate machine code from the trimline; and amanufacturing system in which the machine code is usable to form an edgeof an aligner.